by Kevin Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

by Kevin Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

The Syracuse faithful packed the Carrier Dome to the tune of 35,012 fans. They came for the home team's last Big East matchup with No. 11 Georgetown and to honor the man of the hour, Carmelo Anthony.

But Otto Porter Jr. stole the show.

The Hoyas' star sophomore scored a career-high 33 points to go with eight rebounds and five steals in a 57-46 Georgetown victory.

For Porter and the Hoyas, the win continues their resurgence and builds their winning streak to nine. The win, coupled with Marquette's loss to Villanova on Saturday, moved the Hoyas into sole possession of first place in the Big East.

The Hoyas have been winning behind their stingy defense, one that held the No. 8 Orange to a season-low 46 points. It's only the latest chapter in what has been a season of outperforming expectations for a young team that features just two upperclassmen.

"We are a very young team," Georgetown head coach John Thompson III said. "We've taken a business-like approach this year. It shows up more often than not on the defensive end where guys do a great job."

The ballyhooed matchup - it was the final battle between Georgetown and Syracuse in the Carrier Dome, after all - drew the largest on-campus crowd in NCAA history. It proved to be a disappointment for many of those in attendance.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim felt his team did not come out with the proper mindset.

"I think you have to be able to handle that," Boeheim said of the game's importance. "It's the same for both teams but I don't think we handled it well today."

Boeheim was particularly dismayed with his group's inability to stop Porter, especially considering how ineffective his teammates were from the floor: Porter shot 12-for-19, while the rest of the Hoyas combined to go 7-for-35.

"Porter was the difference in the game. He played tremendously," Boeheim said. "Their other players really struggled but he had to make plays and he made them all day."

"It was special, that's the only way to categorize it," added Thompson. "You saw the show that I saw."

The Orange opened the game with a 12-4 lead, as the Hoyas admitted to coming out rattled and having some early communication issues because of the raucous crowd. But Porter imposed his will on the game soon thereafter, scoring all but three points in the Hoyas' 17-3 run.

Syracuse eventually countered, with brief run, capped by a James Southerland three just before the half. The hosts entered the locker rooms with a 23-21 lead and all the momentum.

The Orange came short in multiple comeback attempts, largely due to Porter's efforts. The Hoyas opened the half on a 10-2 run which stretched the lead to 8.; the Missouri native hit two straight three-pointers, then stole the ball from Michael Carter-Williams and drained a baseline jumper.

With 4:52 left in the game, Porter sank an impossible off-balance three as he was hit by Brandon Triche, then drained the free throw for a four-point play. The play was indicative of the sophomore's night and caught even him by surprise.

"I don't know how that went in but it did," he said with a smile. "I was speechless and I didn't know what to say."

Thompson, not one for superlatives, praised his team, noting that Porter should "absolutely" be considered for the Wooden Award.

As for the rivalry itself, both Thompson and Boeheim stayed away from the emotional statements, as both expressed their optimism for future non-conference matchups.

The Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry dates back to 1980, when John Thompson Jr. declared the Orange's former home arena, Manley Field House, "officially closed" after a 52-50 Hoya victory.

"I'm sure you guys are looking for a 'Manley Field House' type of statement, but you're not going to get it," Thompson quipped.

He didn't have to. Otto Porter Jr. made enough of a statement with his one-man show.

Notes: Syracuse honored Carmelo Anthony - who starred for them during their 2003 national championship run - by retiring his No. 15 jersey at halftime. Anthony was humbled and spoke candidly of Boeheim's recruiting efforts, recalling coming home from school one day to find the legendary coach sitting on his front steps. "This is one of the most memorable days of my life, of my career," Anthony said.